Pinkie
by Nikki-Wa
Summary: i love cartoon conspiracies and i came across one about the Cake twins and their genealogy and the actual conspiracy was that perhaps Pinkie Pie has both pegasi and unicorn blood in her blood line (hence the reason she can 'teleport', 'break the 4th wall', and 'float' much more obviously than the other ponies. well this got me thinking and well... just read it.
1. Banishment

Pinkie flew through the palace slamming open doors with the power of her horn.  
"Jeez so much for covering me" she thought bitterly, zipping around another corner. She glanced back and huffed as the guards closed in.  
"Stop right there!" the pegastallion demanded.  
"why? you all are so fast!" she taunted, "but even you can't catch me if I do this!" Pinkie folded her wings against her body and back flipped in the air. Turning 180 degrees on to her back, she spread her bird like wings wide and rushed the guards. Folding her wings again as she passed them, Pinkie righted her self and bolted in the direction she had just come from.  
The guards, momentarily confused by the pink Alicorn's actions, quickly regained their wits and hurried after her.  
Pinkie zipped around corners and flew high and low trying to throw off her pursuers. She chanced looking over her shoulder again and giggled when she didn't see any of the guards. Taking a moment to catch her breath, she slowed to a steady gallop and came to a stop behind a pillar.  
"She's got to be here somewhere! Tell the back ups to get in here! The night Guards too! have them barricade the windows and doors!" The captain's voice rang throughout the halls. Pinkie Stretched her wings and prepared to take flight again. The steady broosh of the pegastallions' wings was growing closer.  
Why couldn't you have kept your word? she thought angerly as the guards spotted her.  
This had started out fun, but now she was getting worried. Pinkie knew she would be caught soon and death would most likely follow. She turned and stuck her tongue out at the man behind her. Oh well, got to make this as fun as possible while i can! She zipped around another corner and ran smack in to Celestia. The sun Alicorn stared down at her, almost pitifully.  
"Oh Tia! Am i glad to see you! Sheesh your guards play a mean game of tag! But my wings are getting tired and I'm getting bored so could you call them off? We can play again tomorrow if they'd like." Pinkie stood and smiled innocently as she could. Looking around, she saw that the guards had surrounded her. "Now would be a really good time." She said, smiling through gritted teeth. Pinkie stood tall and looked up at Celestia. She was small compared to Celestia, even small compared to Luna really, but she had the arrogance of a grown pony. Pinkie scoffed as the Princess looked her straight in the eye.  
"Ensure that she does not escape until a proper punishment can be assigned." Celestia's voice was almost cocky as she gave the demand. Chains immediately began to fall over the young alicorn, restricting her wings and weighing her down. Pinkie strained, shocked as Celestia walked away casually. As she was restrained and dragged away, she grunted a word that almost sounded like 'Traitor'

"Please princess, show mercy!" Pinkie Stared at her friend as the ruling came to an end. There had been no jury. No trial. Pinkie had been caught red handed. She knew there was no way out of it but...  
"Banishment as an earth pony? I'd rather it be death!" Pinkie strained against the shackles holding her firmly to the floor.  
"Our word is final Pinkie. You above all others should know that." Luna looked down upon her with distaste.  
"But why not kill me, or if banishment truly is the choice can I not be made in to an unicorn?" she cried.  
"You are too dangerous with magic. Even the magic of an unicorn is deadly if handled wrong, and we cant have you coming back here so pegasus is out of the question too." Luna's horn glowed as she absorbed the power of her friend. Pinkie screamed as her wings folded in impossible ways towards her spine until her back showed no trace of them.  
"You know I will never forgive you for this." Pinkie spat as her body twitched with pain.  
"Ten thousand years. A hundred for every Alicorn you mindlessly slaughtered. That is the agreed length of your banishment. In that time you will use no magic and be restricted to the ground. You will live the average life span of a pony, and be reborn again and again until your time is up. You may come to forget your time with us, but you will never be allowed to forget your crimes." Luna sighed and walked closer to the young Alicorn. "How these disgusting acts went unnoticed is beyond us, but-"  
Pinkie cut her off with a sharp laugh. "You two liked the desserts well enough! Especially the cupcakes! Those were your favorite, right Lun-" Pinkie writhed and grit her teeth as her horn slowly corkscrewed into her scull. Luna's magic was strong; making an alicorn in to a mear land pony. Pinkie smirked as the clouds opened beside her.  
"Celestia is just making you do her dirty work. when you become more powerful than her, she will rid this land of you too." pinkie stared at the break in the clouds and looked up at the blue mare.  
"Luna, we can stop her. Please give me back my things, give me back my power and we can rule this land together." pinkie began to panic as the reality of her punishment hit her. "Luna, my friend, my sister, please!"  
Luna sadly approached the now shrunken and pitiful land pony and nuzzled her. "Perhaps you will learn something in these years, my friend." she stepped back as the bonds began to drag pinkie towards the hole. "Something, I pray, other than causing pain."  
Luna looked away as pinkie's scream fell away from her. She knew her friend may not survive the fall, but handing out punishment was an important duty of the princess.  
"Sister?" she approached Celestia and the two stood facing each other for a moment. "Sister, will she be alright?"  
Celestia hugged her and smiled sadly, "It had to be done."  
The big sister began walking out of the room at a leisurely pace. She seemed completely unfazed by every thing that had happened. Luna contemplated what pinkie had said for a while "Sister? How did the crimes go on for so long unnoticed? Surely some pony must have complained or worried?"  
Celestia smiled over her shoulder and simply replied "The problem has been taken care of, little sister. There is no more need to fret."


	2. Run Away

Pinkie fell for what felt like a long time. She severely wanted to catch herself but her lack of wings made it impossible.  
"Tsk, I'll be dead before the banishment starts anyway." She grimaced as the last wisps of magic flew away from her. The chains had began dissolving as soon as she was through the cloud layer and she was left thrashing about like an idiot. The feeling of free fall made her stomach turn, making her sick. Or maybe that was the feeling of betrayal burning deep in her gut.  
Her role model and teacher had thrown her aside like she was nothing. Yeah she had committed the crimes, but it was to help the mare she had grown to love. Celestia was like a mother to her, but at the first sign of trouble,she had cast Pinkie away with out a second glance. Tears burned Pinkie's eyes.  
What was the point of crying? She would hit the ground soon and this would all be over. She closed her eyes and let her body go limp.  
_Yeah all I have to do is wait and I wont feel this way anymore._ She almost smiled at the thought. Wind whipped her hair all around her face, brushing away the tears that fell up and away from her.  
"Hey!" a voice called suddenly. Startled, Pinkie blinked and saw a young stallion flying towards her. His mane and tail were an intense rainbow color and his golden eyes shone with worry as he raced towards her.  
"Stay away from me!" she screamed, but to no avail, her words were lost in the wind. The Colt flapped his wings furiously and caught the pink pony before she could yell again.  
"What's going on?" he yelled, panicked, as they both descended.  
"Let me go!" Pinkie shouted trying to push away from her savior.  
"Why were you falling from so high? How'd you get up there?" he asked, ignoring her protest. She struggled against his hooves and finally freed her self as they touched the ground.  
"Why did you catch me?" she questioned, trying to hide her tear stained face behind her long straight hair.  
"Because you could have gotten hurt if i didn't" He said defensively. "How'd you get up there anyway?"  
"It's none of your business." she snarled. Pinkie looked around. They were in a large field surrounded by bare trees. Snow covered most of the ground and the naked forest looked menacing. "Where is the nearest town?"  
The boy pointed up wards. "I live in the clouds right above here." He said following her as she began walking.  
"That's not what I asked" She said stepping over a log.  
"Yes it is. Cloud's Song is the only town around here for miles. Well, that i know of at least." He flicked his wings, easily avoiding the same log Pinkie had struggled over.  
"Will you not do that?" She sighed.  
"Do what?" He asked bounding over another tree. Pinkie walked around this one, not wanting to struggle with getting over it again.  
"The wing thing, just walk." She was getting annoyed at this guy.  
"I'm a pegasus, I fly. Whats the matter with that?" He asked floating down in front of her. He tried to look at her face but she walked around him.  
"Well, its rude to taunt the wingless by flying so freely. So just stop." Pinkie was still upset about what happened and she just wanted to be alone.  
"That's a weird thing to say." He said folding down his wings.  
"Yeah, well, if I'm so weird, just go away."  
"And that was a mean thing to say." He smiled.  
Pinkie sighed and turned to face him. "What do you want? Why are you following me?"  
"I'm waiting for a thank you. You know, for saving your life?" He stood proudly as she stared blankly at him.  
"Well, what if I'm not thankful?" She asked. The colt looked at her confused.  
"Well, why wouldn't you be? you could have died." He said cocking his head.  
"You say it like it's a bad thing." Pinkie grumbled, turning away.  
The boy laughed and said in a cheerful voice, "It is a bad thing"  
Pinkie turned and looked at him again.  
"How can you say that? you have no idea what i just went through.  
"Well, what'd you go through?" He asked  
She grunted and took in a deep breath "I was stripped of my title, and my powers, banished from home and to top it all off, the mare who was the closest thing to a mother I ever knew was the one who caused it all. The stupid tyrant." Pinkie angerly wiped tears that had invaded her eyes again.  
"Well now I know what you went through, and I still say life is better." He said flying over her head.  
Pinkie stared at him in disbelief. Any pony who would want to live after all that was either crazy or liked feeling pain. "You're an idiot." She sneered walking around him again.  
"Maybe, but I know that within the bad, there is good, and within the bad there is good."  
"So which one am I?" She asked sarcastically.  
"There is good in you." He said without missing a beat.  
Pinkie sighed again and trotted through the frost and slush. The pagasus pony had folded down his wings and walked next to her as if they were good friends. After a while he broke the silence by saying "My name is Spectrum by the way, but you can call me Speck for short."  
"Thanks, Speck, but i never asked." she replied coldly.  
"Yeah, but you wanted to know." he said matter-of-factly.  
She kept her mouth shut as they continued walking. The sun was getting low in the sky and Pinkie was getting cold. She stared out of the corner of her eye at the boy who had began humming an unfamiliar song as they walked. She realized they had been walking for quite some time but this boy didn't seem worried about getting back home.  
"Don't you have a family or something?" She asked suddenly. Speck smiled and nodded.  
"Yep, my dad and sister. They live in Cloud's Song. They're nice and all, but they don't really understand me."  
"So. At least it's family. You should go back to them." She said. It sounded warmer than she had meant for it to.  
"Nah. It's not really a place I want to be. I was actually running away when I met you... umm, whats your name?"  
"It's none of your business." she said, "Why didn't you bring anything if you're running away?"  
"It's none of your business" he mimicked. He giggled for a second then said, "I dropped my saddle bags when I was trying to catch you."  
Pinkie stopped, shocked for a moment. "Why didn't you pick them up?"  
"I was trying to talk to you and I kind of forgot about them." He smiled shyly. "I can go back and look for them."  
"Yeah, you do that." She said rolling her eyes. Finally she would be rid of this Squirt or Smock, what ever his name was. They were miles from where she fell. It would take him forever to find them.  
"K, don't go too far, I'll be back soon." He flapped his wings and took off in the opposite direction.  
Pinkie sighed and ran as fast as she could, she didn't want him to find her again, and she had to find some shelter before it got too dark.  
The Icy wind ripped and tore at her face and arms, but she felt almost as if she was flying when she ran. She weaved through trees and jumped with ease over logs and other obstacles. it was almost as if her body remembered how to fly, but just couldn't. She ran until her lungs burned and her hooves hurt, and even then she didn't want to stop.  
Slowing to a trot, she began to look for anything she could use for a shelter. Bare trees and rotten logs were all she could find. She explored the area some more, and finally, as the moon shone high in the sky, she found a large empty cave.  
Pinkie walked deep in to the cave hoping to escape the cold so she could sleep and continue her journey in the morning. Using her hooves to feel along the wall, she made her way in to the darkness until the wind no longer reached her and the cold was held at bay. She sighed as she laid down. The events of the day fell on her all at once and she felt both exhausted and defeated all at once. she sobbed silently, then louder as her bit of self pity became mourning of the life she was forced to give up.  
"How will I find food? Water? How will I survive out here all alone?" She asked the darkness. You weren't alone with Speck" A nagging voice in the back of her head pipped. "Yeah but he is probably home with his family, safe and warm in bed." She said tiredly. Pinkie yawned, and something stirred in the darkness behind her.  
"Who's there?" She squinted trying to see in to the darkness, but she was blinded by the night. Her adrenalin began to pump as she leaned against the wall, trying to listen. A snort came from somewhere in the darkness, and foot steps slowly approached her. A dim light suddenly filled the cave, turning everything a sick color. As pinkie's eyes adjusted, she shoved her hooves in her mouth to stifle a scream. She could see now what had made the noises. And it was standing right in front of her.


	3. up in the clouds

Pinkie stared in horror at the Ursis Minor standing directly in front of her. It's eyes glowed like two stars, making a beam of light where ever they swept. Pinkie, as quietly as she could tried to avoid being seen by it. She scooted silently against the wall but blew her cover when she tripped on the bone of some large animal.  
She landed with a hard thud and scrambled to move as the Ursis turned to face her. Light swept over Pinkie, making her heart pound so hard her ears Ursis growled and roared loudly before charging at the frightened pony.  
"I'm sorry! I didn't know you lived here! I'm leaving!" She dived out of the way and tried to calm the beast.  
"I didn't mean to wake you, so go on, go back to bed little bear." The Ursis circled her, uncaring of what she was saying. It snorted and charged her. With a yelp, Pinkie dashed between the beast's legs and made for the exit. With the Ursis on her heels, Pinkie screamed and called for help running blindly through the forest. The great lights swept through the trees and she could hear its heavy breathing as it searched for her.  
_This would be so much easier if i had wings!_ She cursed and made her self as small as possible against a tree. She squeezed her eyes shut and whispered a prayer that she hoped her friends could hear. The lights swept past the tree she was hiding behind, but the Ursis Minor kept going past her hiding place. After the bear passed, Pinkie bolted in a random direction. She tried to make as little noise as possible, but found it to be harder than she hoped. Rotten twigs snapped under hoof and every tree she passed tinkled as icicles shifted and fell.  
Pinkie heard the Ursis running in her direction, and even though she had a head start, she knew that an Ursis could easily out run her in a matter of seconds. She searched frantically for another place to hide but found none. Looking up, she decided to climb up. The thing wasn't smart enough to look up for her, as long as she kept moving through the branches, she might just survive this! Pinkie smiled as she made her way up the trunk. Her bright pink hair stood out against the grey of the forest and she wished she could have her magic to tone it down. She bounded easily from tree to tree in the cramped forest but the lack of cover made her nervous. She kept moving at a steady pace, how ever, for fear that the Ursis would see her.  
"Hey!" a familiar voice called.  
"Oh man." Pinkie grumbled "Spectrum, get down here now!" She whisper-screamed.  
"Why?" He matched her volume and quickly ducked in to the trees with her. He landed on the branch hard, almost knocking them both off of it. He wobbled unsteadily as he used his wings for balance. Pinkie grabbed his mane and held him steady. "Please stop moving so much, it'll see you." Pinkie looked around nervously but saw no trace of the lights. She relaxed slightly and saw that Speck had two over stuffed saddle bags and some kind of pack on his back. He was covered in a light sheen of sweat, despite the cold, and the bags looked like they might burst.  
"Whats out there?" He asked looking around.  
"An Ursis Minor." She whispered. "I walked in to it's cave thinking it was empty." She let go of the colt and he stood shakily. "Why are your bags so full?  
"That's random," He giggled. "I figured I'd be gone for a while so I packed for a long trip. I even brought a tent!" He smiled wide and looked at the mare in the dark. "How much longer do we have to stay up here? I haven't seen any Ursis or anything so let's get some sleep."  
"We have to keep moving so the Ursis wont find us." Pinkie yawned  
"Or we could camp in the clouds." He said, looking up.  
"I'm an earth pony." Pinkie pointed, getting annoyed again.  
"Just a moment, I know a trick!" With that he removed the saddle bags but kept the pack and raced upward. Pinkie watched as he gathered clouds from all directions and pushed and shoved them until they were a dense mass of fluff way above the trees. She sat on the branch and waited for a little while until she saw Speck look over the side of the mass. He jumped down and and fluttered next to Pinkie. "Hop on."  
Pinkie hesitated for a moment but, wanting to escape the cold and any chance of running in to the Ursis again, she took his hoove and carefully got on his back. He flew straight up with hardly any strain. He settled down on the cloud and held open the flap of the tent for her. "As long as you're in here, you wont fall through the cloud." He grinned as she slowly tested her footing and found she really could stand. The tent sunk slightly, but Speck assured her that it was nothing to worry about.  
After he had gathered his bags from the tree, the two ponies laid down at opposite ends of the tent. Speck pulled a blanket out of his bag and tossed it over to Pinkie.  
"Do you have another?" She asked, wrapping it gratefully around herself.  
"Nah, I hardly ever sleep with a blanket." He said curling up and closing his eyes. Pinkie shrugged and closed her eyes as well. She contemplated this strange pony who had saved her life, gave her company, and made her feel safe.  
"Hey Spectrum?"  
"Yeah?"  
"Why aren't your bags dirty? You said you dropped them. But, They aren't dirty..." She asked as she began to fall asleep.  
"Because I lied." He said casually, "I really am running away now." He yawned, and began to doze off. "So that I can travel... with...you"  
Pinkie didn't hear the last part, but she still fell asleep with a smile on her face.


	4. A Pony's Dream and a Mare's Curiosity

From here on out, I'm going to split some, or dedicate whole chapters to what's going on in the Palace with Luna and Celestia =) this is before Luna's banishment (of course) so I'm gonna go ahead and incorporate it in to the story eventually!

This is a short chapter but I hope you like it anyway =)

"Pinkie!" The mare's voice echoed through her head.  
"Lulu?" Pinkie blinked hard, trying to see through the darkness.  
"No pinkie, don't open your eyes! You'll wake up!" Pinkie squeezed her eyes shut and after a moment, Luna's form slowly took shape in Pinkie's head. She could feel the power radiating off the alicorn.  
"So I'm dreaming?"  
"Yes, but Pinkie, I need you to listen to me."Luna's voice was rushed and panicked.  
"What ever it is, Lulu, I-"  
"Pinkie, please, how did your crimes unnoticed for so long?"  
Pinkie's eyes shot open in surprise. The moon shone faintly through top of the tent, illuminating the otherwise dark space around her. Cold air made the tent sway slightly. Pinkie laid back and thought hard. What had waken her up? She couldn't remember the dream she had just had, but her heart was beating fast. _was it a nightmare?_ she wondered. Pinkie shivered and pulled the blanket tighter around her. She began to doze off again when an odd noise drew her attention towards Speck.  
His wings were tightly wrapped around his flanks and his teeth chattered so hard, Pinkie was afraid they would break. She thought for a moment, then hesitantly scooted closer to him. Carefully, she wrapped part of the blanket over him, draping it over his back. _It's so much warmer now _she thought. Pinkie scooted as close as she could without touching him and smiled slightly as the chattering slowed and finally stopped. Speck gave a contented sigh and began to snore softly. Pinkie closed her eyes and willed her dream to continue, but after a short time, she fell in to a deep and dreamless sleep.

* * *

"Where were you little sister?" Celestia stood tall over Luna in the way Luna hated.  
"I was dream walking like every night." she looked nervously at her big sister. Celestia was hiding something and she knew it. There's no way somepony didn't know the alicorns were missing.  
"Don't lie to me Luna, I know you were with Pinkie." Celestia smiled as her sister's face dropped.  
"I-I just wanted to make sure she was OK. It is her first night as a land pony." Luna looked anywhere but at Celestia.  
"Don't make a habit of it. She needs to feel the weight of her sentence, and you babying her wont help."  
Luna nodded and they said their good nights.  
"Oh, pinkie,why'd you have to wake up?" she cursed the pony silently as she walked away from her sister.  
"Luna," Tia said suddenly, startling the young pony,"If there is something on your mind, I'd be happy to discuss it with you."  
"I'm Fine sister. Just still in shock from today's events." Luna smiled her best smile and walked as fast as she could without drawing attention.  
As she walked through the palace the smell of blood filled her nose. The guards still hadn't finished cleaning that room. Morbid curiosity grabbed Luna suddenly and she found herself trotting towards the smell. She wove through the ropes barricading the room and carefully examined what was left.  
Large rusted hooks hung from the ceiling over brown, blood stained drains. Blood covered most of the floor, whether it was pooled or tracked through the room by the soldiers. A darkness so extreme, it seemed unnatural, covered the ceiling. The corpse had been removed, but teeth and bone fragments still littered the corners and feathers stuck to the messes on the walls and floor. Luna's stomach turned at the thought of her good friend doing all of this. She suddenly felt as if there were somepony else in the room with her. Her hairs stood on end and her skin prickled. Rearing up at the sudden feeling, she turned and ran from the room.


	5. New horizons and new rooms

Pinkie woke to someone poking her. Bright light shone through her eyelids. Squeezing them shut, she yawned and tried to fall back asleep.  
"Oh man... Uh, please wake up?" Speck's voice sounded close and far away at the same time.  
"Ugh" Pinkie grumbled and pulled the blanket tighter around her neck. She was about to fall back asleep when a puff of hot air on her face made her open her eyes.  
Pinkie stared in to golden eyes and her face was practically touching the silver snout of her companion. Speck laid stiff as a board trying his best not to touch her. His face was so red, Pinkie could feel the heat radiating off of him. She scrambled back and hid her own blushing face behind her curtain of hair.  
"I didn't do anything! I swear! I have no idea how we got that close, I mean, I think you rolled or something, but I'm so sorry, uh," Spectrum babbled on while Pinkie tried to compose her self.  
"You were cold last night." Pinkie's blush grew deeper as she tried to talk. "I, um, tried to share part of the blanket, and I guess I ended up getting too close." she squeezed her eyes shut and looked up at him. "I'm soooo sorr-" she was cut off by Speck suddenly going in to a fit of laughter.  
"How sweet!" he giggled. He kind of snorted as he laughed, making Pinkie want to smile. "You we're making a move on me and I don't even know your name!" he giggled harder and began snorting so hard, Pinkie lost it. She too began to laugh. _Wow, when's the last time I laughed?_ she asked herself. The thought sobered her slightly and she smiled as Speck began to calm down.  
"I was not making a move on you." she said defensively. She couldn't keep the smile off of her face no matter how hard she tried. "You were shivering so hard I was afraid we'd fall through the cloud!" she giggled lightly as he began to laugh again.  
"Suuurrrreeeee." he teased. Pinkie balled up the blanket and threw it at him. She giggled at the shocked expression on his face but stopped to duck as he threw it back at her.  
She grabbed the blanket and took aim.  
Just as the tent broke through the bottom of the cloud.  
Both ponies screamed as they fell. They hit the ground with a puff as the remnants of cloud puffed out from under the tent, breaking their fall.  
Quickly scrambling out of the shelter, they both broke in to another fit of laughter.

With every thing packed and put away, Pinkie and Speck set out on their journey again. After the wake up call she had gotten that morning, Pinkie was in a fairly good mood. She was already getting over being a land pony. It wasn't as bad as she had imagined. She missed her friends, but she had ten thousand years to make new friends, and she was off to a good start with Speck.  
"I'm sorry for yesterday." she said as the two walked along.  
"Sorry for what?" he asked as he looked at the bare scenery around them.  
"I was really mad yesterday. I was so rude." she blushed slightly as she remembered how mean she had been.  
"Every pony has bad days silly. It's nothing to apologize for." he smiled and hopped over a fallen tree.  
"Pinkie." she said hopping on and then off the log. "My name is Pinkie."  
"How nice." he trotted along happily, while she struggled to keep up. "It's short and easy to remember." he went on.  
"Thanks?"Pinkie wasn't sure how to take that but it made her want to smile that simply telling him her name had made him happy. They continued through the forest for a long time before the silhouette of a town came in to sight.  
"Yay, we can get some food there!" Speck exclaimed. "I'm so hungry!" Pinkie nodded and agreed as her stomach rumbled. The last time she had eaten was before she had started cutting in to that last alicorn. Summer Sky had been her name. Celestia disliked her for a long time. Pinkie thought she was really pretty. It was a shame she had to die. But her obligations as a friend had clouded that. Pinkie shuddered at the memory of what she had done.  
"Pinkie?" Speck's voice cut in to her thought's and she looked up to see him standing several feet in front of her. "you OK?"  
"Yeah, sorry." she trotted quickly to catch up and they continued on in to town together.

* * *

There was no funeral for the alicorn. Only Celestia and Luna and a few guards, who had to carry the body, even seemed to know of the cremation to happen. All Alicorns, though most were immortal age wise, had to be cremated at death. Otherwise their power could escape and fall in to the wrong hands. Flames licked the few remaining parts of the mare, and in no time, she was nothing more than a pile of ashes. Bits of magic sparkled around the mound and settled in the dust. Celestia walked forward an gathered the magic in a crystal flask and the guards let the ashes go in to the wind.  
Luna sighed as the specks disappeared. Why had no pony come to inquire about the missing mare? Tia had told her that a message was sent out to the other Alicorns telling them of the find, but Luna doubted that highly. The whole time any of this had been going on, Celestia went on like it was nothing. _I have to talk to Pinkie again_ she thought desperately. The guards were ordered to never speak of he matter again, under penalty of death, and every pony in the room went their separate ways. Luna trudged through the castle towards her room. The early morning sun hurt her eyes and she was so tired she could cry.  
She passed by Pinkie's room again, but there was no bloody smell as there had been the previous day. She peaked her head in the door and was shocked to see that there was no trace of the torture room. A large bed with too many pillows sat where the bloody drains had been. The hooks and table were gone and a decorative rug and small coffee table made the room look happy and bright. The walls had been repainted a deep purple and the room held a welcoming feel. Still, however, Luna shivered as her hoof fell on the sparkling tiles that had replaced the blood soaked wood.  
Such a horrible thing had happened here, yet it looked ready to host an important guest, or even the princess her self. The nagging feeling that she was being watched still made Luna's skin crawl. She turned away from the room and found her self facing her big sister.  
"What do you think?" Celestia asked, walking in to the room. She seemed undisturbed by the room's atmosphere and looked around proudly. "I've had them working on it all morning. I don't want any part of our palace to be soiled by such a negative event."  
"It's lovely, sister, but I'm retiring for the day. I will see you for dinner?" Luna smiled up at her big sister and Celestia looked at her like she might look at some rotten meat.  
"You don't like the room?" She asked, offended.  
"I said it was lovely." Luna replied slightly confused by her sister's reaction.  
"Well," Celestia sighed as if she was tired. "That is good. Good day sister. I will see you tonight."  
Luna nodded and made her way to her room. As she laid down and began to fall asleep, she realized the feeling of being watched hadn't left.


	6. Sprites and a Smile

The town was bigger than either of them had ever seen before. The streets were full of different kinds of ponies all walking and talking happily. The streets were lined with different stands and shops and the smell of food made pinkie wish she had some bits.  
"Wow, I've never seen so many ponies in one place before!" Speck exclaimed. He looked around excitedly at all the different things. Pinkie felt nervous with all of these strange ponies surrounding her. She stood close to Speck trying to stay out of every pony's way. All of the movement and the smells from the different stands was starting to make her feel sick.  
"Can we find some place less crowded?" she yelled in to Speck's ear. He nodded, seeming a bit overwhelmed him self and they began walking quickly through the crowds.  
Finally as the crowds thinned, and the two ponies were able to talk normally, they began to wonder what they should eat? Speck had more than enough bits for the both of them to have a good meal. Pinkie decided on an oat and wild flower sandwich while Speck had some spaghetti in dandelion sauce. with their tummies full, they began to explore the town some more. They saw all kinds of things that caught their attention and as they explored, they came across a small group playing all kinds of different instruments.  
Pinkie stopped as tiny little winged balls of fuzz hopped around the group. She stared in wonder as they followed the rythem of the drums. The leader of the band, the accordion player, smiled at her as she approached. "What are these things?" she stared at them in awe as Speck came upnext to her.  
"You've never seen parasprites before?" he asked, backing away from them slightly.  
"No, Never!" She smiled as they circled around her, dancing in an odd sort of way. She giggled as they began to hop on top of one another and do little tricks.  
"You should giggle more." Speck said seriously. She looked at him and he smiled a half smile that made her blush slightly. She turned her head away from him and addressed the accordion player.  
"How do you get them to do that?"  
"I honestly have no idea" he chuckled. "My group here, and i were playing during a swarm a few years back and these guys just started hoppin' and playin' to the music. Now they're a part of our group." The song came to an end and instead of starting up another one, the Stallion nodded to his group, who started to put away their instruments. The parasprites suddenly started swarming angerly around the group, making Pinkie and Speck both take a few steps back.  
"This is the only difficult part" the accordion player said, reaching up and grabbing one of the bugs by it's wings. He then opened a small mesh cage and tossed the creature inside. I hummed angerly until another member of the band started playing a lullaby on her harmonica. The caged sprite and the free ones calmed down almost instantly, and, as if led by an invisible string, made their way in to the cage. The harmonica player stopped and shut the cage door.  
"They all sleep in one big bundle, but we got to make sure all of 'me are sleepin' otherwise they'll try to chew their way out." she smiled as twelve tiny snored sounded from the cage.  
"That's amazing" Pinkie stared as they loaded everything on to a cart.  
"Are you all done?" she asked.  
"Yessum, for today at least, sun'll be settin' soon. We'll be back here tomorrow." He hitched himself to the cart and the band began trotting down the street towards their homes.  
"Those things were so cute." Pinkie smiled as she turned to Speck. He stood uncomfortably, frowning at the band's cart as it made it's way down the road.  
"What's wrong?" she asked. this was the first time she had seen him frown.  
"Parasprites are dangerous." He began walking away, not waiting to see if Pinkie was following. Confused, she galloped after him.  
"How can something so cute be so dangerous?" She asked, trotting to keep up with him.  
"They can destroy a whole town in a matter of days. Those people shouldn't be playing with them." He sighed and trotted forward.  
"They looked like they had them under control," Pinkie said, trying to cheer him up. Something about him looking so sad made Pinkie nervous. He had been nothing but smiles and sunshine since she had met him and now he was so worried about some bugs. "And thinking about how they were dancing makes me giggle" she said smiling.  
Speck smiled too, but it didn't really reach his eyes. He stopped walking so fast, however, and as he turned to look at the pink pony, his smile became real. They walked on in silence for a while. then, as the town began to fade behind them, speck asked, "How far do you think the next town is?"  
"Who knows?" She replied. The song the band had been playing was stuck in her head and she began humming as they walked.  
"Do a paradance little sprites, doo de doo. Dancin in circles and junk, la la la." Spectrum laughed at his own wit as he made up words to go with the song. Pinkie's humming soon became a chuckle, and soon both ponies were laughing as they took turns adding words to the tune.  
As the sun dipped low in the sky, both ponies decided to stop for the night. The day had bee much warmer than the one before, and the night was mild, despite the snow on the ground. They didn't bother with the tent and just laid the blanket out on a clear patch of ground. Lying on their backs, they stared up at the sky as tiny stars began to twinkle.  
"I love the night." Speck smiled dreamily. "It's so pretty. The moon is like a giant candle that keeps the darkness away and the stars twinkle like little gems."  
Pinkie Frowned slightly. She loved both Celestial beings, despite the situation. Truly thinking about it though, where Luna was like a sister, Celestia was more like an overworked mother. Always snapping and fretting over things. "I think both the night and day are beautiful in their own ways." Pinkie smiled, "Though, the night has always been kinder."  
"What do you mean by that?" Speck yawned, turning to look at her.  
"Nothing, I'm just rambling" she smiled but it felt fake. She turned her head to look at him and almost laughed. The poor pegasus was so tired, he had fallen asleep leaning up on his arm. Pinkie carefully lowered his head to the ground and returned to her spot on the other side of the blanket. She looked up at the sky one more time, then closed her eyes.


	7. I Promise

They Traveled for days, through towns and villages, but they never stopped for more than a day or two.  
"What are you looking for any way?" Speck asked, trotting along.  
"Some place to call home." Pinkie said. Speck sighed. Any time he asked anything about pinkie, she gave short, clipped answers.  
"Why not just go home?" he flew over her head and twirled in the air. the bags thumped against his sides, but they may as well not have even been there.  
"I already told you." Pinkie hated when he asked questions like this. She didn't want him to know what she had done. She stared up at him as he flew. She didn't want him to leave.  
"Where is your home any way?" he landed and walked in time with her.  
"I'll know when i find it." She said. Pinkie imagined a large town, with friendly ponies and maybe some place for her to find work. She was going to be a land pony for a while, so Pinkie decided she needed to start living like one. Pinkie smiled and walked forward with purpose. She would find home, and even though she couldn't go back with the princesses, she would be happy here.  
"I like it when you smile like that." Pinkie looked at Speck, who had a goofy half-smile on his face. "You look happy."  
"I was thinking about what my new home would be like."  
"Good." He smiled brightly. "It's good to think of happy things." He turned somewhat serious then.  
"Always try to find a reason to smile. No matter what happens. Every pony deserves to be happy. and the first step is to smile. No matter how sad, or lonely you get always smile OK?" He looked at pinkie so intensely that she jumped when he suddenly took off and started flying again. he flew high up and shielded his eyes from the sun.  
"There's a fork in the road up ahead!" he called down. "Which way should we go?"  
"Which way is there a town?"  
"I don't see one, just a big forest. Both paths lead to it."  
He swooped down and fluttered beside Pinkie as she walked.  
"It doesn't matter then." she smiled at him and he smiled back.  
they stopped at the fork however and contemplated on which road to take. they both looked the same, and led in to a large dark forest.  
"Which way do you think?" Pinkie asked.  
"Left?" Speck didn't seem sure either.  
"Then let's go left." pinkie began to walk when speck shouted,  
"Wait, no, right!" Pinkie sighed and turned to the right.  
"No, no, I-I mean... umm..." speck just couldn't make up his mind.  
"Let's go with your first choice and go left" Pinkie offered after a few moments. Speck Nodded and seemed grateful for Pinkie stepping up to decide.  
They trekked on in to the woods, and soon, all around them became nothing but wild animal calls and strange rustling in the bushes that lined the road.  
"What if there's another ursus?" Pinkie said, walking slowly.  
Speck seemed more confident as he trotted along. "There wouldn't be an ursis out during the day time." he bounced along, not waiting for his companion.  
"Hey slow down!" she whisper yelled.  
he hopped on, not paying attention, and soon, to Pinkie's horror, was out of sight.  
The sun was still high in the sky, but pinkie didn't want to end up in the woods alone when it got dark.  
"Speck!" she called out but there was no answer. She called again and still the pegasus didn't reply. "This isn't funny!" she yelled. Was he playing a prank? or had he gotten so far ahead of her that he just couldn't hear?  
Suddenly, an odd sensation traveled down Pinkie's spine to her tail. It twitched as the sensation continued.  
"WHOA!" speck suddenly fell down next to her, causing her to jump back and fall in to the bushes. her back hurt but the sensation stopped.  
"Spectrum! Where were you!" She demanded, standing up, and brushing herself off.  
"I was trying to see beyond the woods, but they go on for a really long time!" he seemed slightly winded from his adventure.  
"Why'd you crash-land?" she asked, helping him tuck the stuff back in to the bag he was carrying.  
"I'm not sure, it's like my wings just got really tired suddenly, and i just didn't catch myself in time." he flexed his wings and took a few steps forward. In no time, he lagged behind the pink pony and was practically gasping for air.  
"What's wrong with you?" she asked, taking the bags from him. it seemed to help, but only a little.  
"I'm just really tired suddenly. can we stop for today?" Pinkie set up the tent since they didn't know what kind of creatures were out there, and helped Speck inside. he was practically asleep before his head hit the pillow, and pinkie stared as he began to snore almost immediately.  
{how odd} she thought. he had been so full of energy just a moment before. why did his energy go away all the sudden? She didn't think about it too hard and soon found herself drifting off.  
"Pinkie, keep your eyes closed this time. I must be quick." Luna's voice rang out through her dream in an echo-y sort of way.  
"Luna, oh, I miss you." Pinkie kept her eyes squeezed shut as Luna appeared before her.  
"Pinkie, please, i need to know how your crimes went unnoticed."  
pinkie winced, but kept her eyes closed.  
"I was able to get completely rid of the bodies. i didn't leave any traces."  
"But Celestia, she covered the murder. Right?" Luna looked desperately at her friend.  
"Celestia... She-" Pinkie was cut off as the dreamscape swirled violently around them. her eyes came open and she laid there in a haze. Again, she could hardly remember the dream, but there was a question she needed to answer. she fell back asleep in hopes of the question returning, but her dreams were completely blank.

"Hey speck?" pinkie nudged her friend trying to rouse him.  
"Ugh... what?" Speck yawned and stretched out.  
"Hey the sun has been up for a while. we should go." Pinkie looked at him with worry. he was pale an swayed slightly as he walked. He didn't seem to be as energetic either. "Are you feeling OK?" she asked.  
"Yeah," he gave her a half-smile. "Just a little tired. I'm fine."  
Pinkie carried the bags as they walked along, but she had to stop often to wait for speck to catch up. She suddenly smelled something odd in the woods.  
"Do you smell that?" she asked as Speck caught up.  
"It doesn't smell very good, what ever it is." he replied, covering his nose.  
"Maybe there is a town out here?" Pinkie trotted towards the smell. "You stay here and rest OK? I'm going to see what that smell is."Speck nodded and sat against a tree. He really did look tired. Pinkie worried about him and almost didn't want to leave his side. But the smell seemed to beckon her.  
"You there, little pony, come now and follow me." a voice startled Pinkie as she walked through the trees. Spinning to see who had spoken, Pinkie saw a dark figure running away from her.  
"Speck?" she chased the shadow through the forest and didn't catch up with it until they came to a hut. It seemed out-of-place in the middle of the woods, but it was built in to a tree as if it had grown there.  
"Who are you? Pinkie looked in to the door way of the hut and saw an oddly striped pont sitting there.  
"Your friend is ill, is he not? I have just the thing that will hit the spot." She turned and rummaged through the mess of bottles Pinkie reluctantly walked into the mare's house and studied her.  
"My colors are odd to you are the not? I am a zebra, so worry not." she said. Pinkie blushed at being caught staring. The zebra turned and smiled and handed Pinkie a small bottle full of a bright red liquid.  
"What is it?" she swirled it around, watching it shimmer slightly.  
"His head and hooves ache him so, give him this and he'll be ready to go. A simple solution is to not roam. Your dear friend must head home. With you i do not think it's best for him to travel. He must rest." she smiled sadly at Pinkie and began to send her off.  
"What do you mean travel with me? Why is it bad?" she walked out of the tree house and put the medicine in her pouch.  
"These questions you ask will be reveled in time, but if you do not obey, your friend will die."  
"What?!" pinkie turned back to the zebra but there was no trace of her or the hut anymore. only trees and shrubs stood in its place.  
"No! Please!" Pinkie looked around desperately. {speck will die? what must i obey?}tears filled pinkie's eyes as she ran back to her friend.  
"Pinkie?" Speck's voice called out as she neared. "Oh, pinkie i was so worried! you were gone for so long!" speck trotted towards her and she tackle hugged him.  
"What's wrong?" he asked. Speck coughed a few times and pinkie let him go. Reaching in to her Saddle bag, she produced the only proof that there had actually been a magic zebra.  
"Drink this. You'll feel better." Pinkie smiled with relief as speck shrugged and downed the whole bottle.  
almost instantly, his eyes became brighter and his coat looked healthy again.  
"Wow, where'd you get that?" He smiled and flapped his wings.  
"There was a zebra in the forest, she gave it to me. She knew you were sick." Tears spilled down Pinkie's face as Speck flew up high, then dived and landed perfectly.  
"Is that what took you so long?" he asked. the spirit was back in his voice and he stood proudly as pinkie walked past him.  
"I was only gone for a few minutes" she said as he trotted next t her.  
"uhh try a few hours!" He looked at Pinkie skeptically.  
"There is..." Pinkie stopped and thought. If a whole house could disappear in the blink of an eye, then time could have warped around her. She sighed and apologized. "I didn't mean to be gone for so long."  
"It's OK, just from now on stay by my side. Then i wont have to worry." he smiled as she blushed.  
"I'll stay by your side for as long as i can Speck." she smiled as his face turned red.  
"Promise?" he asked shyly.  
Pinkie's blush deepened and she nodded.

"I Promise."


	8. Stethoscope

Luna stomped her hooves in frustration. Something had cut off the dream again. She laid down and sighed. She would keep trying until she could get an answer. Luna lay upon her bed thinking. Was Celestia the real murderer? Did she really make Pinkie do those horrible things? She stared out her open window and looked at the tiny little ponies playing in the streets. She smiled and sighed. Maybe some day, ponies would want to play outside during the night time too. more and more unicorns seemed to be learning how to make their horns glow, so perhaps the darkness of night will no longer frighten them. there was a full moon that night and that is when the most ponies played past sun down.  
Luna shut the curtains with her magic and settled down in to the bed. when she got comfortable, she closed her eyes and tried to sleep. But no matter how hard she tried to push the question away, it haunted her, invading every inch of her brain. Who really killed the Alicorns? Celestia or Pinkie?

* * *

"Are you sure you're OK?" Pinkie helped Speck up again and walked slowly by his side until he could walk straight again.  
"Yeah, it's just a cough." he replied. Speck tried to smile but it was more of a grimace as he began coughing violently. The potion the zebra had given him worked well for a few days, but as it wore off speck's condition seemed to get worse.  
Pinkie carried all of the bags and the tent now, while Speck walked sluggishly behind her. They had come across no towns in the forest, so they were both hungry and thirsty. The last of the water had run out that morning and even through the trees, the sun was too hot.  
"Do you want to stop and rest again?" she asked. Pinkie knew it was most likely just a cold or hoof and mouth disease, and it would clear up in no time, but what that zebra said frightened pinkie.

_"You need to go home. You're getting sick here." _she had told him.

"No, I'm fine." was always his response. She hated seeing him feel so lousy, but until they made it to a town, there was no way she could help him.  
It took them another day and a half of almost nonstop walking for them to exit the woods and stumble upon a town. They were both exhausted and dehydrated and wasted no time making their way to a restaurant. They ordered so much water the waiter eventually brought them a pitcher. with their thirst quenched, they ordered food and when they finished that, pinkie began inquiring about a doctor.  
"Dr. Ascope is just down the road there." A friendly mare pointed.  
"Thank you," pinkie hurried speck in the direction she pointed.  
"Pinkie, I'm fine." He protested. Pinkie hurried him in to the office and the doctor looked him over carefully. took his vitals and checked his reflexes, then leaned back and looked puzzled.  
"It looks like it may be a weak strain of a flu." He said, giving Speck a tissue to cough in to.  
"So he will be OK?" Pinkie's body relaxed as he reassured her. they thanked the doctor and were quickly ushered out to make way for the next patient.  
"Oh, Steth! it's been ages!" an elderly stallion approached Dr. Ascope and gave him a friendly smile.  
"Well if it isn't old Snake Skin, How are you?"  
"Well its my darned knee again." he said hobbling in to the office. Pinkie and speck walked out he front door, leaving the conversation behind them. Pinkie was relieved to know there was nothing seriously wrong with Speck. She felt so relieved it shone on her face. And when she looked at speck, she was oddly surprised to see the same look of relief come across his face.


	9. Darkness

Luna opened her eyes and looked around the room. She had contacted pinkie again and finally got her answer, but that wasn't what had awoken her. She was sure somepony had said her name. Dim light shone through the curtains, illuminating the room just enough for her to see that there was nothing there that would have made any kind of noise. Luna, still sleepy, shrugged and laid her head back down to sleep, when she heard it again.  
"Luuuunnnnaaaaa~" That time she was sure she heard a voice.  
"Hello?" She steped down off her bed and walked towards her door.  
"Luuuunnnnnnnnnaaaaaaaaaaaaa" the voice trailed through the hall, echoing as if somepony were calling from very far away.  
"Sister?" She stepped out of the room and followed the sound of the voice as it called out again. She walked past maids and servants who paid her no attention.  
"Lunaaaaaa" the voice caressed her name as she walked in to Pinkie's old room. The darkness that had covered the ceiling before was back, but this time it seemed to be moving. "I'm so glad you're here Luna."  
"What-who are you?' her voice wavered slightly as the shadowy mass snaked down the walls and on to the floor.  
"I want to help you."  
"With what?" Luna began to back out of the room, but the door slammed shut behind her. "I don't need any help."  
The light seemed to seep out of the room until it was full of pure darkness. When the voice spoke again, it seemed to be all around her.  
"Oh, but you do. You poor thing."  
Luna sneered, "Show your self!"  
"In time." it said. the darkness seemed to swirl around, making her dizzy. "You have been so wronged, so cheated, and it pains me to see you so helpless."  
"What are you talking about?" Luna stepped towards the swirling mass.  
"Your sister has been so cruel. She has cheated you. Hurt you. And here you stand, oblivious to every thing the whole time." It's voice was sympathetic but Luna felt as if it were taunting her,  
"I don't understand." The swirling in front of her was captivating. it wasn't only blackness now, but a swirl of silvers and blues, like some galaxy. She stared at it fir a long time before it spoke again.  
"She has been hoarding the magic for herself. You are so much more deserving of it. You have worked so hard but it has all gone unappreciated. Your night is so beautiful and if only you had a little more power, you could make the world see that."  
Luna blinked and turned away from the dark cloud. "You are wrong. My sister and I share our power equally." She didn't feel so sure. The darkness had made it seem like an absolute fact. It bothered her.  
"I will help you obtain the power you deserve." the darkness suddenly swirled away from her and the light returned to the room. Luna stood for a moment, blinking in the sudden brightness.  
"Come." the voice beckoned.  
Luna took a step towards it, then another, and before she knew it, she was standing in front of her sister's door. She hadn't been in Celestia's room since they were both fillies.  
"Look and you will see what you need , what you deserve" the dark mass spread out over the ceiling like a starless night sky. She didn't have to look hard. The flask was proudly displayed on the window sill throwing colorful beams of light across the floor.  
"There is the magic of dozens of alicorns held within that simple piece of crystal"  
"It is my family." Luna whispered.  
"So it is your right to use that magic."  
"But... It... it isn't right.." She squeaked.  
"You have so much potential. You could rule this land, all of it, all on your own." The voice was smooth as honey in her ears.  
"But Pinkie told me the truth. Tia found out the same time as every pony else." Luna thought her voice sounded hollow. Almost far away. But the other voice was clear as day.  
"Do you truly think that Pinkie, as sweet as she is, would rat out a mare who has mothered and loved her? She lied to you Luna, they both did. The darkness closed in all around her. She shivered despite the warmth it enveloped her in. "She tried to tell you in the beginning, Celestia is a tyrant and a murderer. She must be stopped."  
"But she is my... sister?" the word didn't feel right in her mouth. "They both lied?" that sounded right. "How do you know?"  
"Because i have been here all along. Since before the wars and the destruction. Before the draconequus attacked the lands. Before your parents were killed. Before their parents vanished. I have been here all along, watching and waiting for the time that I could help you Luna, just like i helped Pinkie. I saw how your sister guilt and manipulated her in to doing the dirty work. I helped make Pinkie happy. I helped rid the fear and weakness in her heart. and I can help you. It's your turn Luna." She liked the way it said her name. Like those two syllables were the most important thing ever said. "Luna, you know your subjects love Celestia more than you. But their love has been wrongly earned. She has stolen them and made certain that you have had no happiness. She shuns your night, and she has taken away pinkie with a banishment that cannot be undone. You deserve happiness Luna." Luna nodded absently in agreement. The darkness laughed and dived in to Luna's eyes, and suddenly, Luna knew exactly what needed to be done.


	10. Darkened Dream

Pinkie listened to Speck's choked coughs. Blood was mixed in with the slobber that ran down his chin as he slept. The doctor had been wrong. Speck wasn't OK and in the weeks that had passed, he had only gotten worse and worse, but Pinkie didn't know what she could do to help him. She stared at the sky.

The sun was still fairly high but Speck had been to weak to continue on so they had stopped. The sun was warm against her skin and she smiled as she saw the slowly darkening silhouette of the full moon beginning to rise through some dark clouds that had began to form and fill the blinked a few times and yawned. Speck would be asleep for a while so a nap wouldn't hurt. She looked at the clouds rolling in and decided that they could just camp there for the night. Pinkie set up the tent and carried her friend inside before climbing in herself. The whole thing took longer than she had planned because she had to keep moving her hair which had started to frizz and curl the last few weeks. She didn't know why it was happening, but Speck said he liked it better curly so sh had nothing to fix it.

By the time Pinkie laid down and got settled, the sun was beginning to set and the entire sky was choked with thick clouds. The air smelled like rain and earth. Pinkie thought about what the zebra had said again. She didn't want to leave Speck, but she was afraid of what may happen if he didn't go home.

With heavy thoughts pressing on her mind, she fell in to a fitful sleep.

* * *

"Pinkie. Pinkie, it's me."

Pinkie made sure to keep her eyes tightly shut. It had been almost a month since Luna had last visited her.

"Oh, Lulu! I've missed you! I need your help!" Pinkie ran through the dreamscape towards the blue haze that was her friend.

"No Pinkie, you are so full of power. You don't need mine or any pony's help." Luna's voice sounded strange but Pinkie couldn't pin it.

"But I can't do anything. I'm magic-less, and i cant even help my friend." Tears pricked Pinkie's eyes as she said what she had feared for a while now. "Luna, I think that Speck is dying." As they walked together, Luna's coat seemed to grow dark.

"You must tell him to leave." Luna replied sadly. "i believe you may have been right when you said Celestia was a tyrant."

"Lulu, you know that wasn't me talking, I-I wasn't my self during that time..." Pinkie stared at the ground.

"She made you do so many horrible things Pinkie. Luna looked down at her with pity. Her eyes were a strange color, but they held love for the tiny pink mare.

"But she never did anything." Pinkie protested, "I was out of it. I've told you all this, and why do I have to tell Spectrum to leave?" Pinkie stopped and stomped a hoof.

"I think Celestia is making it so the closer you get to him the sicker he will become." The moon mare turned to look at Pinkie, who had tears bubbling in her eyes.

"But...why?"

"Your punishment was banishment from home. that doesn't just mean the castle, it's every thing. The people you love, and being with them, that is home. She plans on taking this colt, your love, your home, away from you."

Pinkie's eyes opened in panic. Her heart raced and stale tears soaked her face. Celestia was doing this? "And it's all my fault." she whispered to her self.

She slowly got up and walked to her friend's side. "Spectrum." she cooed and ran a hoof loving along his face. "I'm going to leave and you'll get better OK" And you are going to have to hate me for leaving so you get better. Go home Speck. Go home with your family and get better." Pinkie tried to hold back the tears but they fell in streams down her face anyway. She stood and walked, somberly, out in to the growing darkness. Cold, alone, and heart-broken.


	11. Eclipse

"Celestia!" Luna stormed in to the room. Her hair billowed all around her angerly and sparkled with tiny diamonds of magic.  
"Sister, calm down, What's happening?" Celestia was completely taken back by her sister's out burst. She shooed her workers out of the room and began to approach her disgruntled sibling. "As she approached the mare, she gasped. "Luna, what has happened to you?" Luna's coat was completely black and she wore a battle helmet in place of her crown. a smokey blue haze drifted around her and it took Celestia a moment to realize that it was her sister's mane and tail. Something seemed to writhe through out the hair, making it move much like Celestia's.  
"She was right all along. You knew. You knew every thing!" Luna's voice was too loud in the tiny room.  
"Knew about what sister?"  
"The murders! You knew, and you probably even encouraged them! All because you wanted to be stronger." Luna's eyes glowed with the greenish yellow fire of hate as she advanced on her sister. She seemed to grow as she advanced, and soon, she was the size of Celestia. Celestia backed away slightly and was about to say something when Luna interrupted her. 'You are nothing more than a liar and a thief. You have no business being a part of the royal family!" Luna reared up and shot a pure black beam of magic at the sun pony.  
"Luna! Stop this!" Celestia demanded. A low chuckle came from no where and Celestia looked in horror at the dark cloud surrounding her sister. Sudden realization hit her like a brick. "Luna this isn't you! It's a Miasma! Listen to me, fight the Miasma!" When Luna fired at Celestia again, she fired back, but the moon mare dodged easily.  
"No, sister, this is justice. I found the flask. There was more than enough magic to take you down and take what belongs to me!" Luna fired again and hit her sister. Celestia screamed as the magic tried to eat in to her skin. She flapped her wings in panic and flew up and away from her attacker. Luna fired and shattered a window. Celestia took the opportunity to escape and made her way outside and flew high in to the clouds.  
"You cannot hide in the darkness." Luna laughed wickedly as the moon rose and began to cover the sun. Celestia strained a little. she was injured and her main source of power was being blocked. "For I am the darkness!" Luna suddenly burst through the cloud and tackled her sister. The two mares fought, twisting and turning through the cloud infested sky, firing bright white hot beams of magic at one another until, finally, one of Luna's shots hit the white mare's wings, causing her to fall hard and crumple to the earth. Ponies looked at their fallen princess as she tried to stand, but backed away and screamed when Luna landed hard next to her. Thick black chains snaked around the white Alicorn's body until she could no longer move. Luna and the darkness laughed as the moon completely eclipsed the setting sun, throwing the world in to darkness.


	12. A battle above and below

Pinkie looked up as the clouds began to turn the sky dark. She ran as fast and far away from the tent as she could but the lack of sleep and crippling heart ache made her fall to the ground. Unable to move another inch she screamed and began to sob.  
A thunderous crash radiated through the sky and the clouds choked out the last bits of sun light. The sky swirled and soon, fat drops of water began to rain down. The rain stung with icy coldness as it hit pinkie's skin. "Good!" she screamed. "Let me hurt! Let me be punished for what i have done!" She grit her teeth and curled in to a tight ball and held her face in her hooves. The rain fell harder and the land turned to muck. Pinkie's body racked with sobs and her heart hurt so much she thought she might die.  
But she didn't die.  
Couldn't die.  
She could only die of old age. She couldn't cut corners in her punishment. Pinkie knew that now. She laid in the rain for a long time, letting it soak in to her until she was numb. Her hair hung in a heavy curtain around her, almost weighing her down as she stood and began hobbling along again. A defining boom radiated through out the sky shaking Pinkie to her core. Pinkie flinched as white hot flashes of light danced between clouds and ground. More booms echoed through the dark sky that seemed to get darker as the minutes ticked on. Hard winds blew and whisked in particular ways.  
Another boom radiated but there was something different about this one. At the end of it Pinkie could of sworn she heard an odd noise.  
"Pinkie!" it sounded like somepony was calling out to her, but she ignored it. She squeezed her eyes shut and trudged on through the storm. She walked slowly being pushed against and along with what ever gust of wind decided to hit her.  
"Piiiiinnnkkkiiieeee!"  
some pony IS calling me she thought turning to find the source. She turned and saw Speck hobbling towards her. Horrified, she ran to him.  
"Pinkie! I was so scared! You weren't there!" he cried.  
"Don't follow me!" she screamed over the wind.  
"I have to!"  
"No, go home!" demanded. "You'll die out here!"  
"I'll die without you!"  
Pinkie flinched and fresh tears streaked down her face. The young stallion stood defiantly in front of her, staring straight in to her eyes. She choked on her tears and looked away for a moment then looked back at him sadly.  
"Go home Spectrum. You cant stay with me."  
Rain fell in sheets all around them.  
"Don't you understand?" he cried. "You ARE my home Pinkie, I love you!" Speck took a shaky step towards her and collapsed. He coughed and fell hard on his side breathing hard.  
Pinkie nuzzled him and whispered "That is why i cannot stay." she turned to leave but he grabbed her mane and pulled her face to his. She blinked a couple times then closed her eyes, returning the kiss, then backed away.  
"You...lied..." he wheezed.  
"What do you mean?"  
"You...said that...you... would keep smiling... you promised... you'd smile and... and never leave..." His hoof fell away and mustering up the last of his strength, he sat up. "Pinkie, I'm going...to die... weather you are...with me or not..." he laid his head on Pinkie's shoulder and breathed heavily for a few moments.  
"But if i leave, you'll get better. I have to-"  
"Please... don't leave me. Don't...let me die here...alone." he begged. it sounded like he was falling asleep. Another crash radiated through the sky and was followed by a sort of tinkling noise.  
"no matter how little... or how silly... always...find...a reason...to smile." He whispered. "And think of all the fun times we shared... please?" Pinkie sobbed and nodded.  
"I wont ever forget you Speck. I promise. I'll find you in another life and we can be together again! I Promise!" she hugged the limp pegasus tightly. He smiled faintly and whispered "I love it... when you smile." then there was nothing. No rasping breaths. No shaky rise and fall of his chest. No life in his once bright eyes. Pinkie shook the lifeless pony and began to cry harder. "Speck! Speck no! Please, don't go! Don't leave me!" The rain fell in sheets and the sky was black. She buried her face in to his chest and sobbed begging for him to come back and cursing him at the same time.  
"Why didn't you just listen to me?!" she cried. "You didn't have to die." she cried against him for what felt like a long time and when she could no longer stand the feeling of his corpse under her, she stood and looked up at the dripping clouds. the wind had dies down and the rain was letting up. the sky was dark but it seemed to be getting lighter also.  
"Some day, i will find you again Speck. It's not only my soul that will come back. I know I can find you again some day. And when I do, we can smile and be happy. pinkie blinked the water out of her eyes and saw a small break in the clouds. The full moon shone brightly through the last drops of rain that fell. Pinkie looked at her friend and through her pain and sadness and tears, She smiled.


	13. To my fans I apologize!

**My laptop broke! I am soooo sorry for the delay I will be posting the rest off the story ASAP! I'm sorry to leave you all hanging!**


	14. Sun Set

Im so sorry for the errors in this, I am submitting it from my iPod and its really difficult so please bear with me until i can get my laptop fixed -_-""

" Luna you have to fight it sister!" Celestia struggled against the chains that were slowly crushing her. " In the name of harmony, sister, fight it!"

Luna stood staring up at the moon. This was the biggest brightest moon of the month, the one she loved the most. The darkness undulated and moved Celestia along as Luna walked in to the castle.

"Why would I fight such power? No sister, I am tired of fighting for what I rightly deserve." She sneered and looked down at Celestia. " and if you won't bow before me then you will cower beneath me "

Celestia cried out as she was tossed carelessly in pinkie's old room. A thin layer of miasma covered the ceiling and laughed as Tia tried, but failed, to stay conscious.

" My people!" Luna stood proudly on the balcony and gave her subjects a moment to gather.

" my people, this is the beginning of a new era!" She smiled as murmurs broke out amongst the citizens of the earth and clouds.

" the night has been neglected and hated for far too long! From this day forth, I here by decree..." She paused for effect, " that eternal night begins now."

The sun fell from behind the moon ad crashed below the horizon. The ponies stared in horror at their tainted princess.

" we need the light!" One Pegasus called out.

"We can't live in darkness!"

Ponies cried and wept begging with their ruler to change her mind.

" silence!" She called out " the decision has been made! Celestia is no longer needed here, or any where for that matter. Infact..." She stopped for a moment and the darkness giggled inside her head.

" say it!" It urged

" It has been decided that Celestia will be executed!"

The citizens screamed and wept. Luna beamed. This is how she would stay in power, she would kill off any pony who got in her way.

" no!" She screamed suddenly. Her knees buckled and the mare fell to the ground. " I will not be that monster! I want to rule, but I will not kill my sister!"

The darkness laughed and she stood again. " you are no longer Luna my dear, you are the the mare of the night! Ruler of the moon!"

Colors swirled behind Luna's eyes and she felt her self fading.

Luna smiled and flexed her wings. It felt so good to have this much power.

The voice echoed in her mind " NightMare Moon"


	15. Long Nights and Short Fights

Pinkie yawned and looked up. She felt like she had slept for hours but the moon was still high in the sky. "This is the longest night of my life" she whimpered. Pinkie laid back down and stared at the heart shaped pile of rocks that marked her only friend's grave. "It's been less than a day and already, I miss you so badly." Tears pricked her eyes but she wouldn't let them fall. She closed her eyes and sighed. When morning came she would have to leave. Without speck. The thought hurt her heart, but she couldn't stay here forever. She would find home some day, despite her punishment, and even if it took a hundred lifetimes,pinkie knew she would some how find her beloved friend again.

* * *

Luna walked through the town smiling. The town was washed the light of the full moon. It was so beautiful. Why had she not done this earlier? Almost two days had passed since the night mare took control. Already ponies were becoming weak and plants were Beijing to droop and she cared not.

This was world she had always wanted to live in. One of darkness and beauty.

"Princess, please lower the sun. With out it we will surely die" A frail looking mare cried as she bravely approached the moon mare. "This is my kingdom to run." Luna replied smiling at the small mare " and as such the moon shall remain in the sky. I know it is different, but in time you will learn to love it as you once loved the sun."

"In time this land will be dead" the mare spit.

Luna sighed and spread her wings.

Taking flight she talked with the darkness. " they will never love my night."

" nonsense. Look how all of them gather. They are merry."

Luna looked down and saw groups of ponies hugging and talking.

" it is true" she smiled.

She landed on the balcony of the castle and looked out over the kingdom.

"Luna!"

The moon mare turned her head in shook. Celestia was surrounded by her guards and she stood ready to fight.

" I am no longer Luna, I am NightMare moon!" Luna lunged at her sister but celestia stood, unmoving." I am so sorry sister, but you must be punished for your crimes." Tears poured from Celestia's eyes as five tiny gems circled around her horn. " for your treasonous crimes, Luna, It is here by decided by the royal court that you shall be banished!" A bright rainbow beam shot at Luna and struck her before she could react.

The darkness screamed and thrashed as Luna's body was made in to nothing but wisps of smoke. The citizen ponies watched in amazement as the silhouette of the mare formed in the bright full moon.

The ponies cheered and cried out in happiness.

" my people!" Celestia stood and addressed her citizens.

The guards stood proudly behind her.

" Fear not, for the sun will rise!"

The ponies cheered louder and yelled out blessings to Celestia as she walked back to her palace. Looking around, she decided that she no longer wanted to rule in this place knew of a small town not so far away where a draconequus ruled. Perhaps they could reach an agreement. She had been planning on ending his rule for some time now,and since she had nothing to loose, this was the perfect time to do so. Celestia decided that she would go to this new place and she would rule and bring and maintain harmony for the rest of her time.


	16. Goodbye and Hello

The night lasted a long time but pinkie didn't mind. That was just more time she could lie numbly and think. But finally the sun did rise, and Pinkie knew she must leave. She packed up the saddles and began to walk. Pinkie wandered for a long time. And when her time came, she perished. But as the princes promised, she was reborn with the nightmares of her crimes being her constant reminder of her past life. She lived many lives. She watched the world grow, the seasons change, and all the time she looked for speck. Even if he wasn't in the same body, she would know his soul when she found it. As time went on, however, she began to change in appearance and her memories began to fade. She no longer remembered what he looked like, or his voice. She no longer remembered her alicorn friends, and all she remembered of her crimes were the nightmares that plagued her dreams. But still she felt alone and her heart ached for her forgotten companion.

* * *

"Pinkamina Dianne Pie! I said come inside right now!" Pinkie's mother stood in the door way staring as the filly moved aside more rocks.

" I'm almost done mother," she said soberly. Sue rolled her eyes and walked back in to the house to finish dinner.

Pinkie stoppe for a moment and wiped sweat from her brow.

"Gooommm~" an odd noise radiated through the farm and a bright circular band of pure color shot through the sky.

Pinkie's eyes grew wide in amazement and something inside of her clicked. She felt sudden joy that was so strong she felt as If she might burst.

Her parents were shocked that Pinkie had gotten her cutie mark over a few balloons, but they had never seen their daughter more happy. They knew a couple from the near by town that owned a bakery and set it up so pinkie could stay with them. Pinkie packed her things and headed in to town. She bounded along happily when her tail began to twitch in an odd way. She jumped as a brightly colored Pegasus crash landed next to her. Suddenly pinkie began to cry. She had no idea why but tears spilled from her eyes as she tackled and embraced the confused pony.

" uh, hi?" Pinkie was shocked to hear a mare's voice and she quickly backed away. A young pale blue pegamare sat in front of her. The filly had a familiar rainbow mane and she flexed her wings in a way that made pinkie's heart hurt.

"name's Rainbow Dash" she smiled hovering. " But you can call me Dash"

" oh, I forgot to ask" pinkie wiped her eyes and smiled at Dash.

" yeah, I figured you wante to know"

is she landed next to pinkie and stared at her. "Do I know you from some where?" She asked.

Pinkie thought hard but couldn't pinpoint it " I feel like I do but I don't think we've met."

Dash shrugged and asked where she was headed.

" I'm suppose to start an apprenticeship with the Cake family" pinkie smiled brightly and the two walked for a moment " there is something I was wondering." Dash flew in front of pinkie and stared. " why'd you tackle me?"

Pinkie began to giggle and shrugged " I don't have a single clue."

She continued to laugh and dash joined in.

"Oh, Pinkie"

"What?" Dash wondered

" my name is Pinkie"

"I like that name." Dash smiled "it fits you"

they walked, smiling over the littlest thing, and pinkie knew, that as long as she could find friends like the forgotten one she had lost,she would be happy.


	17. Speck's Chapter

I rush back as quick as I can. Finally I can get out of this hell hole, finally I can be happy. My wings flex and push through the air rocketing me towards the place I called home. I fly up and weave through the clouds. I see the town up ahead. Cloud's Song. I hate this place. It is a dying city with dying people. I flinch as my lung twitches. it hurts so much, but i keep flying. It will be dark soon and i have to find that mare. She is my ticket out of this dying world.

No pony pays attention to me as i pack my bag. No pony ever pays attention to me. I smile. This used to be a reason for me to cry, one of a thousand reasons to cry, but now it makes this all easier. I fill my bags with everything i can get my hooves on. Blankets, bits, I even take the tent that has set in the corner for who knows how long. The sun starts to fade below the horizon and I jump down and spread my wings. The wind catches them and lifts me through the air. I love to fly. even with these bags strapped to me, I love it. It is the time when I'm free of responsibility, free of sickness. My lung twitches again reminding me that that last part isn't true. I'll always have the sickness no matter how far away I go.

* * *

My lungs ache. I lie in the tent and try to hold back tears as the pain burns through my chest. Pinkie and i saw parasprites today. She thought they were so cute but i know how dangerous they can be. I've seen whole towns destroyed by the pests. Pinkie sleeps softly in the corner snoring softly. I'm so happy now. It's like the sorrow of home has left and all that is left are these growing feelings I'm developing. I think i might be falling in love for the first time. My heart flutters, distracting me from the fire in my lungs. Maybe with pinkie at my side I wont succumb to the sickness like every pony else in Cloud's Song.

* * *

It's no use. I thought i would get better, but i cant even fly any more. I can see the worry in Pinkie's face and the guilt kills me. I should leave her so she doesn't have to see me deteriorate like this. The thought of leaving her though... It hurts more than my chest. She went off to explore and i get worried because when she leaves I feel like she is never coming back. It makes my heart hurt. I take a nap and wake up. the sun is far across the sky and there is no sign of Pinkie. Just as I'm about to call out, I see her. Joy fills me and it does even more so as she hands me medicine from a zebra. Their medicine is the strongest known to pony kind, so if that wont fix me, nothing will.

* * *

The medicine worked for a while but now I'm worse. Pinkie left in the middle of the night. I was only vaguely aware if her leaving, but now that i know she's gone, i know that i cant stand to be without her. I love her so much. That gives me the strength to stand. I cant fly but i can walk. I follow her hoof prints in the soft earth. I search for a long time and finally see her as it begins to rain. The tiny pinpricks of ice sting but they clear the fog clouding my head.

"Pinkie!" I scream at the top of my lungs as i try to run towards her. I call her name again and she looks at me. I look in to her eyes and even though i feel my body stopping, I know she is here and she is OK. "Pinkie! I was so scared! You weren't there!" he cried.  
"Don't follow me!" she screamed over the wind.  
"I have to!" My voice feels weak against the wind.  
"No, go home!" She demanded. "You'll die out here!"  
"I'll die without you!" I start as i realize how thru this is. It's not my body that cant live without her, it's my soul.  
She cries as she says "Go home Spectrum. You cant stay with me."  
Rain falls in sheets around us.  
"Don't you understand?" I Yell "You ARE my home Pinkie, I love you!" I take a shaky step towards her and collapse. it is so embarassing that i cant go on! Why do i have to die? Why can't I stay with her forever? I cough hard and fall. My lungs twitch and i fall to my side gasping.  
Pinkie nuzzles me and whispers "That is why I cannot stay." she turns to leave but I grab her mane and pulled her face to mine. It's not a good kiss. My mouth is covered in blood and I'm too weak to put much force behind it but she closes her eyes and returns the kiss. When she backs away I smirk and say, "You lied."  
"What do you mean?"  
"You...said that...you... would keep smiling... you promised... you'd smile and... and never leave..." I do my best to stand and I look straight at her. "Pinkie, I'm going...to die... weather you are...with me or not..." I lay my head on Pinkie's shoulder and breathed heavily for a few moments.  
"But if i leave, you'll get better. I have to-" She starts.  
"Please... don't leave me. Don't...let me die here...alone." I beg. It's pitiful but it's all i have left. It feels like I'm falling asleep. It's comforting. The pain is fading.  
"no matter how little... or how silly... always...find...a reason...to smile." He whispered. "And think of all the fun times we shared... please?" Pinkie sobbed and nods.

Content, I close my eyes and feel my breath stop. I feel my heart stop. My mind... every thing. And I'm floating.


End file.
